JOHN EVANS: CHANGE OF POWER NOT NECESSARY CONDITION FOR DEMOCRATIZATION IN ARMENIA

Pan Armenian News
05.09.2005 06:05

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Ambassador to the RA John Evans said the
U.S. does not consider change of power to be an essential condition
for democratization in Armenia and will exert every effort to make
the parliamentary elections in 2007 and presidential election in 2008
free and fair, RFE/RL reports. Mr. Evan confirmed the U.S.’s support
to the constitutional reform. “Armenia has a possibility to pass
the necessary changes in constitutional order”, the Ambassador noted
adding that the U.S. is not trying to tell the Armenian electorate
how to vote. “We say the following: this is a very important task,
which is worth proper attention of the voters and serious discussion
in the National Assembly”, the diplomat said. The Ambassador does not
think that the constitutional reform will empower Robert Kocharian to
run for President for the third time. When asked of the consequences
of an unfair referendum, the Ambassador said, ” We witnessed how
falsified elections drove people to streets. It should serve as a
good lesson not only for Armenia but also for all the states of the
region. People are expecting fair election. So does the U.S.”, he said.